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Between 2003-4 and 2015-16, the share of students receiving state aid for college increased from 16.1 percent to 21.9 percent, but the average grant increased only from $2,500 to $2,600.
That is among the statistics in a new federal report on non-federal aid received by college students in those years.
The percentage of students receiving need-based aid rose from 13 percent to 15 percent, with the average need-based grant going from $2,400 to $2,800.
The increases in state aid were but a fraction of the increases in institutional aid, which went from $5,800 in 2003-4 to $8,300 in 2015-16. The increases were much greater for private than for public colleges.
For private four-year colleges, the percentage of students receiving aid increased from 49.7 percent to 56.8 percent, and the average grant grew $9,100 to $16,100. At four-year publics, the percentage receiving aid increased from 19.2 to 30.2 and the average grant increased from $3,900 to $4,900.
The percentage receiving need-based institutional aid did not grow much at private colleges, growing only from 30.9 percent to 31.3 percent. But the increase was notable in the amount given, from $7,200 to $12,500. For publics, the percentage receiving need-based aid rose from 9.3 percent to 14.6 percent. The average grant increased from $2,800 to $3,600.
